While I do not want to make this into a political issue, I do want to weigh the facts and protect myself and my family the best I can.
With the influx of illegals that are coming over the border carrying chicken pox, TB, lice, scabies, Dengue fever and more we could be facing a pandemic the likes of which this country has not seen since 1918. Millions could be effected because the illegals are being shipped all across the country without being tested or treated first. They are being transported on public transportation. There has even been talk of housing them in public schools. Between the use of public transportation and the use of public buildings to house them the risk of a pandemic rises drastically.
So how do we protect ourselves and continue to live a some what normal
life? Also, what if SHTF and the power grid goes down during a pandemic?
While they won't give you 100% protection there are things you can do to
try to protect yourself and your family as much as possible.
First, avoid any kind of public transportation if at all possible. The government is using public planes, buses, trains and anything else available to move these people all across the country. If you must use public transportation then carry hand sanitizier with you and wipe off all areas you might touch with wipes and sanitizer. Carry masks with you and use them. Many germs are air borne. Look at the way the Japenese handle pandemics. They do a pretty good job of it at times. If you worry about someone laughing at you for wearing a mask simply tell them you have a low immune system and the doctor said you must use them. No one will think much about you wearing them then.
Avoid public drinking fountains. I can not begin to count all the times I have seen sick children playing in them. Wiping their snotty noses with their hands then proceeding to use the fountain and even playing in the water. And I don't even want to think about the number of times I have seen women use a public restroom and after wiping their butts go straight to the fountain and drink from it with out even washing their hands. Gross!!
Stores are another place where germs run rampant. Sick people touch the carts, the products and money. How do you protect yourself there when there is no way you can avoid shopping? After all you have to eat. You can start by taking hand sanitizer with you and wiping down the cart before you touch it. Wear latex gloves the whole time you are in the store. When unpacking your purchases at home make sure to have a bleach solution to wipe down all your purchases as you unpack them before putting them in your pantry or where ever else they go.
Keep your home clean. It does not have to be spotless but make sure to keep it clean and sanitized. Wipe down all surfaces with a mild bleach solution once a day. Wipe your kitchen counters down with the solution every time you use them. The same should be done with your stove and your cutting board. When some one is sick make sure they have their own personal box of tissues. Do not use the same box they use as it will be contaminated with the germs that are making that person sick. Wear a mask when you are in close contact with a sick person. If they cough or sneeze the germs will be airborne and spread around the room. Use antibacterial spray, like Lysol, to clean the air of germs.
Stock up on supplies to care for a sick person on your own if SHTF and no doctors or hospitals are around to help.
While you can not buy antibiotics for humans with out a prescription you can go to a pet store and buy antibiotics for fish without a prescription and they are the same as the ones for humans. Stock up on a year's supply of them. Be sure to include enough for your whole family. Don't forget to stock up on pain relievers, fever reducers, cough syrup, cough drops, tissues, Vicks Vaporub, herbs for fever and congestion, essential oils and drinks with electrolytes in them. Better yet, look on the web for recipes to make your own electrolyte drinks and make them fresh as you need them.
If there is a pandemic going around then you need to have a way to isolate anyone in your family who becomes ill. Stock up with at least a 100 foot roll of heavy mil painters plastic, a couple of good rolls of Duct tape (not the cheap Dollar Store duct tape) and a package of clothes pins. With those simple supplies you can make your own isolation room for your sick loved one. Use the plastic and duct tape to make the room and use the clothes pins to help hold the "door" to the room closed so no germs escape. Cover the mattress under the sheet with plastic to protect it as well. A supply of cheap plastic shower curtains works well for protecting the mattress and can be properly disposed of when removed.
If you can afford it, invest in those throw away scrubs that are used in hospitals. You can wear them to protect yourself. Keep a trash can with a good tight fitting lid in the isolation room to throw them away when you exit the room. Also use it for all other things you have used for your sick ones care. I would also advise keeping another trash can with a tight fitting lid for placing dirty bed clothes in to transport to the laundry area. Do not open the lid until the washer is full of hot water. Spray the can with Lysol and replace the lids before carrying it back to the isolation room.
Store plenty of bleach. I would advise you to store bleach tablets instead of bottles of bleach. For one they take up less storage space but mainly because liquid bleach loses its effectiveness over time. Tablets have a much longer shelf life.
In times of a pandemic, stay home if at all possible! Isolation is your best defense. If you have to go out protect yourself. If you know you have been in contact with someone who is sick then do not go back home. You don't want to infect your loved ones. Do not let anyone enter your home once a pandemic strikes. They could appear to be healthy but they could be carrying the disease.
Most important, cover your cough or sneeze and wash your hands every time you cough or blow your nose. Use tissue instead of hankerchiefs, teach your children how to cover their cough or their nose with the bend of their arm instead of their hands. Also teach them to wash their hands after wiping their nose with tissues and after using the bathroom. If you teach your children how to safely protect themselves from germs then you and they will be one step ahead of the game.
Prepping Granny